Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
07:35
Assessment of Open Probability of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore in the Setting of Coenzyme Q Excess
Published on: June 1, 2022
2.6K
A quantum mechanical approach towards the calculation of transition probabilities between DNA codons
Fatemeh Ghasemi1, Afshin Shafiee2
1Research Group on Foundations of Quantum Theory and Information, Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9516, Tehran, Iran.
Bio Systems
|July 9, 2019
Summary
Quantum tunneling influences DNA mutations. This study introduces a quantum mechanical model showing that quantum channel capacity controls DNA mutation rates, preventing increased tunneling.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Quantum tunneling's role in DNA mutation is debated.
- Understanding these quantum effects is crucial for molecular biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce a novel quantum mechanical approach to analyze DNA point mutations.
- Investigate the relationship between quantum tunneling and biological channel capacity in DNA.
Main Methods:
- Modeled codons as quantum states with transition amplitudes.
- Used double- and triple-well potentials for amino acids Phenylalanine (Phe) and Isoleucine (Ile).
- Applied perturbation theory to calculate mutation transition rates and quantum biological channel capacity.
Main Results:
- Calculated transition probabilities and rates for point mutations.
- Demonstrated that quantum channel capacity is dependent on system-environment interaction (dissipation factor Γ).
- Showed that reduced channel capacity limits quantum tunneling rates.
Conclusions:
- Quantum tunneling rates are controlled by the capacity of the biological channel.
- Lower quantum channel capacity effectively prevents increased quantum tunneling and associated mutations.
Related Concept Videos
02:45The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
56.7K
Shortly after de Broglie published his ideas that the electron in a hydrogen atom could be better thought of as being a circular standing wave instead of a particle moving in quantized circular orbits, Erwin Schrödinger extended de Broglie’s work by deriving what is now known as the Schrödinger equation. When Schrödinger applied his equation to hydrogen-like atoms, he was able to reproduce Bohr’s expression for the energy and, thus, the Rydberg formula governing hydrogen spectra.
56.7K
01:49Probability Laws
44.0K
Overview
44.0K
02:43Quantum Numbers
49.4K
It is said that the energy of an electron in an atom is quantized; that is, it can be equal only to certain specific values and can jump from one energy level to another but not transition smoothly or stay between these levels.
49.4K
01:21Chemical Equilibria: Systematic Approach to Equilibrium Calculations
1.4K
Equilibrium calculations for systems involving multiple equilibria are often complex. For example, to calculate the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt in an aqueous solution in the presence of a common ion, one must consider all the equilibria in this solution. Calculations for these systems can be complicated and tedious, so a systematic approach with a series of steps is often helpful. The process is detailed below.
The first step is to identify all the chemical reactions involved, The...
The first step is to identify all the chemical reactions involved, The...
1.4K
02:31Phase Transitions
22.8K
Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to...
22.8K
01:14Probability in Statistics
22.4K
Probability is the likelihood of an event occurring. The term event is defined as a collection of results of a procedure. An event is a simple event when an outcome cannot be divided into simpler parts.
An example of a simple event is a coin toss. The result of a coin toss is either a head or a tail. Here, head and tail are two simple events. These two simple events make up the sample space. Further, the probability of an event occurring falls within the range of 0 to 1. The probability of an...
An example of a simple event is a coin toss. The result of a coin toss is either a head or a tail. Here, head and tail are two simple events. These two simple events make up the sample space. Further, the probability of an event occurring falls within the range of 0 to 1. The probability of an...
22.4K